2004. Vol. 25. No. 4. 90-94 Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine

Original Articles

Effects of Panax Ginseng on the Sperm Motility and Spermatogenesis in the SD Rat Ga-Ya Choi, Jung-Hoon Cho, Jun-Bock Jang, Kyung-Sub Lee Dept. of Oriental OB&GY, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University

Objective : This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Panax Ginseng (人蔘) on the sperm motility and spermatogenesis in the male rat. Methods : We used 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats, and administered the extract powder of Panax Ginseng to 5 rats (treated group) and normal saline (control group) once a day for 28 days. We isolated their testes surgically, then observed the change of the body weights before and after administration of Panax Ginseng extracts and normal saline. We observed the weight of the testes, epididymis, vascular gland, and prostate. Also, we examined the total, normal motile sperm concentration, and the concentration of testicular catalase and peroxidase. Results : We found that the concentration of normal, motile sperm in the testes of the Panax Ginseng group showed a significant difference compared with the control group. The angiogenesis of the seminiferous tubule was increased and the increasement of the number of spermatogonia, primary and secondary spermatocyte was observed in the Panax Ginseng group through a microscope. The body weight, the weight of the testes, epididymis, prostate and the concentration of testicular catalase and peroxidase were higher in the Panax Ginseng group but showed no significant difference. Conclusion : This study shows that Panax Ginseng may have an effect on the morphology and motility of sperm, the important factor in male fertility, and can promote the concentration of antioxidants, catalase and peroxidase, which is the important factor in spermatogenesis. Key Words: Panax Ginseng, male rat, spermatogenesis, reproductive competence, antioxidants, infertility

Introduction

A male factor is responsible in about 50% of infertile couples, and it is related to the disorder of

The change of lifestyle and environmental pollution have caused a decline in sperm concentration, that is,

spermatogenesis, a defect of sperm transportation, impotence, hypogonadism, dysspermia, and so on5).

the percentage of motile sperm and the percentage of

In oriental medicine, male infertility is defined as

normal sperm, and it has increased the ratio of male

masculinity sterility(男性不育), and the pathology is

infertility .

divided into four categories, deficiency of Qi,

1-4)

deficiency of essence, prospermia and cold semen6). The Received 25 October 2004; received in revised from 3 November 2004; accepted 8 November 2004 Correspondent to : Ga-Ya Choi, Dept. of Oriental OB&GY, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University Tel: 82-2-958-9162, Fax: 82-2-958-9165, E-mail: [email protected]

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causes of male sterility were presented to be Sinhue mostly and Sinyanghue particularly. Some Studies7) have been conducted about strengthening spontaneous emission(補腎益精) as the treatment of male infertility,

Effects of Panax Ginseng on the Sperm Motility and Spermatogenesis in the SD Rat (743)

but there is no previous report about deficiency of Qi.

animals each. The experimental groups were gavaged

Ginseng( 人 蔘 ) is the representative herb of

Panax Ginseng at a dose of 1 mg in 1 ml water/kg/day

strengthening Qi and has the effects of curing

for 28 days. The controls were given a similar amount

consumption and promoting saliva regeneration and

of distilled water.

tranquilization . A Ginseng infusion solution has been 8)

reported to have the effects of anti-stress9), anti-aging10), antioxidant11) and gonadal function improvement12). This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Ginseng on the reproduction and in vitro developmental competence in the male rat observing the change of genital organ weight, sperm concentration, motility,

3) Measure the body weight and weight of genital organs Body weights were checked twice, before and after experiment. The testes, prostate, seminal vesicles and epididymis were dissected and weighed.

morphology and testicular catalase and peroxidase, the 4) Histologic observation of testis

antioxidant.

One testis from each animal was fixed in Bouin’ s

Materials and Methods

fixative and embedded in paraffin wax. 5μ m sections were cut from the middle portion of the testis and

1. Medicinal stuff & Test animals

stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The stained slides were

1) Test medicine material

examined under a light microscope.

The Korean Panax Ginseng, bought in Kyung Hee Univ. Oriental Medical Center was used as test

5) Extraction of epididymal sperm

medicine material.

After 4 days of the administration of the medicine, the testis and epididymis was extracted from the killed

2) Test animals

treated mice. Under optic microscope (Nikon, Japan)

Ten male Sprague Dawley rats, 8-weeks old and

the epididymis was divided from the testis and was

weighing 280±10g, were used for this experiment. The

immersed in M16 media and bovine serum albumin

animals were kept in breeding rooms with the

(Sigma, USA). The spermal clot of pyral past was

temperature of 24℃, alternate light and darkness of 12

extracted and suspended in CO2 culture medium for 1

hours, and provided with enough water and food.

hour.

2. Methods

6) The changes in the count, the motility and the

1) Concoction of medicine

morphology of epididymal sperm from the tested

200g of Panax Ginseng were extracted with boiled

mice

water for 3 days. Then, the extract as filtrated and was

The count, the motility and the morphology of the

evaporated under reduced pressure. And the extract was

epididymal sperm was measured by markler sperm

freeze-dried for 24 hours to obtain 4.2g.

counting chamber (Sofi,Israel), sperm analyzer (CASA,Germany)andhematocylin-eosin-staining.

2) Grouping and Panax Ginseng Administration Ten rats were divided at random into 2 groups of 5

7) Testicular peroxidase and catalase activity 91

(744) Korean J of Oriental Med 2004;25(4)

Table 1. Effect of Ginseng on the Body Weight and Weight of Testis, Epididymis, Vascular and Prostate Gland in SD Rat Groups Control (n=5) Sample (n=5)

Initial body

Final body

Testicular

Epididymis

Prostate gl.

Vascular gl.

weight (g)

weight (g)

weight (g)

weight (g)

weight (g)

weight (g)

293.2±10.4 292.0±13.0

359.8±20.54 359.2±20.86

1.487±0.02 1.557±0.10

0.180±0.01 0.192±0.08

0.426±0.09 0.432±0.19

0.599±0.10 0.586±0.19

Control : Group with normal saline Sample : Group with Ginseng extract

Testicular tissue was homogenized in a cold buffer (50mM patassium phosphate containing EDTA, pH

U test. Differences at p